Jennifer Wilson goes for a run with John Stanton, founder of the Running Room stores and training clinics.

John Stanton, founder of the Running Room, runs across the University of Toronto's front campus with writer Jen Wilson. Stanton was in Toronto for the March 20 grand opening of the chain's 118th store.

It’s not every day you do an interview while running. But for my time with John Stanton, founder of the Running Room, it seems somehow right.

Stanton, in Toronto for the opening of his 118th Running Room store at 38 Grenville St., is also the author of eight books and a 61-time marathoner. He’s credited with teaching North Americans how to cross a finish line “smiling and upright.”

But like so many runners, Stanton opens our conversation by asking about my next race, the Around the Bay 30K Road Race in Hamilton. We’re bundling up before a jaunt around the University of Toronto’s downtown campus, a conversation that begins with tips about the race’s hills, the weather, the energy and, of course, the costume-clad Grim Reaper who warns runners that “the end is near” toward the final stretch of the course.

This collegial and encouraging chat is typical of the running community, and a key draw for so many newcomers to the sport, Stanton says. While runners are concerned about their race time, most are competing against themselves, trying to best personal records, so they’re able to offer support, motivation and welcome distraction for their running buddies.

But the biggest draw remains health. Stanton first laced up his runners in the early 1980s, with the goal of losing weight. A self-described chubby smoker at the time, he was worried about how he’d look.

As he winds through the trails around Hart House, zigzagging around students, Stanton explains that his early days as a runner were done under the cover of darkness. He would head out in the wee hours of the morning, logging kilometres between lampposts so no one could judge his frequent walk breaks.

On mornings when he saw his neighbour Charlie watching from his window, Stanton would sprint until he was just out of sight, then stop to catch his breath.

The running culture has changed dramatically since those early runs, he says, when the sport was competitive, individual and male dominated.

Since the first Running Room opened in 1984, in Edmonton, Alta., more women have joined, race attendance and running groups have boomed. The rise of charity fundraisers and fun runs — everything from mud to zombie chases — helped give the feeling anyone can run.

Some critics have accused the Running Room of dumbing down the sport. Stanton bristles at this accusation, noting that not only are more people racing today than ever before, with higher attendance and more races, but competitors are actually getting faster.

Running is booming, he says, because anyone can do it. Not only are the barriers to entry low — a good pair of sneakers and access to roads, trails or a treadmill are all that’s needed — but it’s also something humans are simply designed to do.

The Running Room is known for its Learn to Run programs, which teach runners to combine running and walking to reach their goals over various distances.

Demonstrating the method, in which athletes run for 10 minutes followed by one minute of brisk walking, Stanton explains that the rest portion helps racers finish faster, as it gives the heart a chance to recover and helps stretch out tense muscles. But, he emphasizes, the walking portion must be done at a decent clip — no leisurely strolls here.

This goal-based mentality also translates to other parts of our lives, Stanton stresses. If you want to finish a marathon, you don’t go out and just run it. You think about the building blocks, the long runs, the speed work, the hill runs. You train that way and reach your goal.

Around mid-campus, as a group of runners passes us, Stanton points to the sport’s social component. He notes that group running is part of the Canadian culture, but it hasn’t expanded to the U.S. in the same way; American running groups tend to compete against each other, not act as support.

Canadian runners have a wealth of great trails to explore, too, he notes, saying he loves running the trails in Toronto’s Don Valley and the waterfront

But, he says, if he could do just one marathon for the rest of his life, he’d choose the New York event, thanks to the unbelievable energy and the cheering crowds, who don’t seem to care whether you’re finishing the 42.1 kilometres in two hours or 10.

Looping back down Bay St., I ask whether he ever considers slowing down. The racing, maybe, he says, but the running, definitely not.

I believe him: As we return to the new store location after nearly an hour in the freezing cold and wine, Stanton doesn’t seem winded or flustered a bit.

John Stanton’s top five training tips

1. Focus on finishing. It doesn’t matter how fast you reach the finish line; what matters is that you trained, laced up and made it to the end.

2. Make a plan. Breaking your goal up into components — including hill runs, long runs and speed runs — will help you reach your distance without injury and stay motivation.

3. Keep it social. The running community is very supportive, and a run with a friend is a great time to socialize, learn and get the support you need to keep going.

4. Pace yourself. If you don’t feel like you could run faster if needed, you should slow down.

5. Listen to your body. Runners are susceptible to overuse injuries. Learn to tell the difference between the athletic soreness that comes from a good workout and the kind of pain that could derail your training. If you’re feeling sick, the general rule is if the problem is above your shoulders, such as a head cold, you’re OK to lace up. Below the chest, take a rest.

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